A former western Pennsylvania police officer was sentenced to a year and a day in jail for using a stun gun on a handcuffed prisoner.

Former Springdale officer gets jail time for stunning handcuffed suspect

A former western Pennsylvania police officer was sentenced to a year and a day in jail for using a stun gun on a handcuffed prisoner.

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Updated: 6:20 PM EST Jan 16, 2014

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WEBVTT ADULT LIVING ON HIS OWN AND THAT HE CUT OFF HIS MOTHER'S ACCESS TO HIS MEDICAL CARE IN THE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE SHOOTING. A FORMER SPRINGDALE BOROUGH POLICE SERGEANT IS SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN A JAIL TIME. GUILTY OF VIOLATING CIVIL RIGHTS, PUNCHING A HANDCUFFED MAN AND USING HIS TASER. Reporter: JUDGE MARK CORNIC SAYS HE CONSIDERED MANY FACTORS INCLUDING THESE DOCUMENTS RECENTLY UNSEALED SHOWING A LETTER FROM THE FORMER POLICE CHIEF WHO SAYS HE PUSHED HIM TO RETIRE. THIS FORMER SPRINGDALE SERGEANT WHO STIPICALLY WALKS PEOPLE UP NOW WALKED INTO COURT BRACING FOR PRISON TIME. MARK THOM WAS SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR AND ONE DAY FOR USING EXCESSIVE FORCE ON GARY CAHILL, WHO WAS HANDCUFFED AT THE TIME. HE WAS VERY CONNIVING. WHEN HE FOUND OUT THAT I ASSISTED WITH THE FBI HE CAME AT ME AND ATTACKED MY REPUTATION. Reporter: RETIRED SPRINGDALE POLICE CHIEF JOSEPH NOVIGLIA SAYS THOM VERBALLY HARASSED HIM AFTER HE TESTIFIED AGAINST HIM FOR A 2010 ALLEGED INCIDENT. IT MADE ME FEEL ANGRY, HURT. BITTER. BUT I PERSEVERED. I'M HERE. Reporter: NOVIGLIA WROTE A LETTER TO THE COURT SAYING, "THOM IS A HABITUAL LIAR, MANIPULATIVE PERSON WHO BELIEVES HE IS ABOVE THE LAW." OTHERS PLEADED FOR THE COURT TO HOLD THOM ACCOUNTABLE INCLUDING A SPRINGDALE OFFICER WHO WROTE, "THOM HAS RUINED AND DISRUPTED LIVES. PLEASE DO NOT BE FOOLED BY HIS CROCODILE TEARS." BUT ULTIMATELY THE JUDGE'S SENTENCE WAS UNDER THE ADVISORY GUIDELINES OF 18 TO 24 MONTHS. THOM APOLOGIZED TO THE VICTIM AND HIS FAMILY, BUT THE FORMER CHIEF SAYS THOM'S BEHAVIOR SERVES AS A LESSON. I THINK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS LEARNED FROM THIS. AND I JUST -- LIKE I SAID, THIS TYPE OF THING THAT MARK THOM DID, I MEAN, IT GIVES A BLACK PARK AGAINST A LOT OF GOOD OFFICERS. Reporter: THOM'S ATTORNEY

Former Springdale officer gets jail time for stunning handcuffed suspect

A former western Pennsylvania police officer was sentenced to a year and a day in jail for using a stun gun on a handcuffed prisoner.